1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to rack-mounted computing systems. More specifically, systems and methods for cable management in rack-mounted computing systems for housing electronics devices such as servers are disclosed.
2. Description of Related Art
Many of today's more complex computing systems such as computer server systems are often rack-mounted systems in which a number of removable electronics modules, such as electronics trays, are positioned and stacked relative to each other in a shelf-like manner within a frame or rack. Rack-mounted systems allow the arrangement of several of the electronics modules in a vertical orientation for efficient use of space. Each electronics module can be slid into and out of the rack-mounting system. Typically, the electronics modules are inserted from the front of the rack and various cables such as data cables, power cables, etc., are connected to the electronics modules at the front and/or rear of the rack.
Each electronics module may correspond to a different server or each electronics module may hold one or more components of a server. Examples of electronics modules include modules for processing, storage such as random access memory (RAM), network interfaces and controllers, disk drives such as floppy disk drives, hard drives, compact disk (CD) drives, and digital video disk (DVD) drives, parallel and serial ports, small computer systems interface (SCSI) bus controllers, video controllers, power supplies, and so forth. A server farm in today's computing environment may include numerous racks that hold various types of computer-related modules.
For maintenance purposes, it is often desirable to remove an entire module from the rack for servicing and then return the module to the rack. Oftentimes, the remainder of the server system is still in operation while maintenance is performed on a particular module or a particular component within the module. For example, when a component on a particular electronics module is to be serviced or replaced, a service technician would need to remove the particular electronics module from the server rack and then remove the server component from the electronics module. In order to minimize system downtime and to reduce the effect of maintenance on the system's overall operation, the process of removing the electronics module from and returning the electronics module to the rack by a service technician should be convenient, quick and easy.
In addition to physically removing the entire electronics module from the rack for servicing and then returning the module to the rack, the cables connected to the electronics module also need to be addressed. However, because a large number of cables may be coupled to the numerous electronics modules housed within the rack, disconnecting and connecting the correct cables can quickly become be a complex, time consuming and daunting task for the service technician. In addition, the cables can become entangled and/or stressed, increasing the possibility that the cables may be damaged or incorrectly disconnected or connected.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a cable management mechanism that allows the numerous cables connected to the electronics components within the rack to be collected and organized for convenient, accurate, and easy access.